Hanabi
by eesi
Summary: Dark eyes, black hair, a familiar face. Scars. A plethora of scars covering the side of his face, stretching across his nose. That familiar face, familiar jawline, nose, lips, eyebrows..."It was him, Baymax." He looked down at the mask before back up at the white bot. "Tadashi's alive."


" _This morning on_ _August_ _24_ _th_ _,_ _27_ _th_ _,_ _reports of robberies have risen all throughout_ _Sanfransokyo_ _and neighboring cities._ _Michael White, a victim of one of the hostile robberies,_ _was interviewed on exactly what he experienced just a few hours ago._ _He had this to say:"_

" _It was madness!_ _They came in, all armed to the teeth, and-and practically shoved a gun down my throat! They—they demanded all my money and their leader was a guy, a man in a yokai ma—"_

Hiro turned off the radio in his lab and rolled his eyes. Ever since Callaghan was apprehended and sent to jail, there'd been countless copy cats running aimlessly while yokai and oni masks sold like hotcakes. It was kinda funny, in truth, but Hiro was so over the whole Callaghan dilemma, and was finally content with just going to school like a normal kid!

"Little dude, we got, like, a huuuge problem!"

Okay, maybe not so normal.

"What's it now?" Hiro replied, spinning in his chair idly. Fred flailed his arms a bit, an enthusiastic smile ever present on his face as he continued.

"We got some baddies on the police radio! Oh man, what kinda super villain do ya think we're up against now?!" Without waiting for an answer, the ecstatic teen ran off with a cheer of "SUIT UP!" echoing through the vicinity. Luckily, it was only the overachieving five in the building.

The youngest trotted to the door of his section and watched the others' eyes look after Fred as he grabbed his super suit and jammed himself inside before springing around like a caffeinated bunny. Soft, worried sighs, and an annoyed grunt from Go-Go, emanated from the room. Hiro could only laugh.

"Guess there's really another bad guy, huh," Wasabi commented meekly, staring at his perfectly-organized table. There was an odd sense of longing in his eyes that made Hiro snort in amusement.

"Well, knowing Freddy, he'll just go on his own if we don't help out! Besides, we've been cooped up in our lab all day!" Honey chirped, bringing a brightness to the room that was much needed. "It'd be good to get outside and get that vitamin D!"

"You're starting to sound like Aunt Cass," Hiro remarked a bit smugly. Go-Go passed him and gave him a harsh flick to the forehead.

"Maybe you would too, if you actually went back home sometimes." The raven popped a bubble in her mouth and looked at him with a disinterested, yet slightly annoyed, expression. "She's always worrying, y'know." Hiro could only laugh awkwardly in response.

"Duuudes come on, that super villain isn't gonna wait forever!" Fred exclaimed, catching everyone's attention again. "Let's go!" He struck a pose in excitement.

It didn't take long for the group to suit-up and get rolling to the alleged crime scene. From what they heard on the radio, police were already en-route, and they'd be meeting them shortly.

"So, dudes, where're we going again?" Fred drawled through the group communication as they made their way downtown.

"You're kidding, right?!" Wasabi responded, flabbergasted. "You're the one that was all hyped up for this!" Honey laughed a bit through the line.

"Relax, everyone! Listen, there've been reports of Yokai impersonators hitting the local tech shops!" She calmly explained as red and blue lights came into view steadily.

"Sounds like these guys're impersonating Callaghan's crime, too," Go-Go commented bitterly, hating anything and everything to do with their ex-professor. It was something she and Hiro had in common, despite the youngest Hamada claiming to be at peace with the situation.

"They just don't know when to quit!" Hiro replied condescendingly as they all landed outside the building.

After a quick chat with the cops, they found out the large structure was a Kreitech storage facility, and that all but one of the thieves had gotten away with priceless materials and equipment. The group felt defeated at the news, but listened to the cops' claims anyway.

"So what's the guy saying? He talk about some big boss or something?" Hiro inquired, leaning back against Baymax as they spoke outside the building. The officer, who they'd come to know as "Garth" over their countless run-ins, sighed and shook his head.

"All the guy said was somethin' 'r other about the Hanabi Festival."

"The Hanabi Festival?" Oh, right, tonight was the firework festival. He and Tadashi used to go with Aunt Cass to all the food stands early so they could find a good spot to watch the glittering explosions in the sky later that same night. Hiro's brother always had a soft spot for these "fire flowers," and tended to give a more insightful analysis of them that no one really asked for, but everyone appreciated—it was nice to see the beauty in something so fleeting.

 _Kind of like life…_ Hiro frowned at his own thoughts.

"The fireworks festival," Baymax started, raising a pointed finger in calm exclamation, "or "hanabi matsuri," is an event where—"

"I know, I know, Baymax! It's cool." The robot only blinked and tilted its head to the side in reaction.

"Excuse me, officer, what _exactly_ did the man say about the festival?" Honey sweetly asked, a bit of curiosity and caution ebbing at her words.

"Hm, he was just freakin' out about failing for the festival, 'r something like that. Makes a guy wonder what the big fuss is about with these lunatic Yokai running around, stealing tech and whatnot."

"Maybe the big bad villain boss dude is, like, super into fireworks and doesn't wanna miss the festival."

"I…don't think that's quite it, Freddy," The brunette sighed, adjusting her pink purse. "Still," she continued, looking at her team, "it's probably not a bad idea to stay out tonight—just in case!" Go-go nodded in agreement.

"Or at least keep our suits on standby and listen to the police radio all night."

"Awe, man…I was toootally looking forward to all the chow we were gonna get," Fred whined, slumping dramatically. Wasabi patted his lizardman friend on the back sympathetically.

Garth quirked a brow at all the teens. Despite generally needing Big Hero 6 to help out with villains, it's not like the cops had suddenly become useless! A few thieves were nothing to them, anyway—they only needed to bring in the big guns when some super villain decided to show up, or if they wanted to make a point to some pesky criminals and discourage crime.

"Don't you kids worry," he began shrugging his shoulders and rubbing his stubbly chin, "ya still got cops around the place. It's not like we's all washed up, y'know." Light broke out on the heroes' faces and Garth fought the urge to smile with them. "Have fun t'night, 'n the cops'll do our best."

"Are you sure?" Hiro asked.

"Kid, we can handle some thieves; if things get gritty, we'll call you supers in to assist. Now get goin' or you'll never find a place to sit and watch."

Much to the group's amazement, night was quick to sweep over Sanfransokyo, and the lanterns dotting the streets were beginning to light up like fireflies in the sky. Roads were beginning to be blocked off by traffic police, and food stands were being set up quickly throughout the streets. After short speculation of the festivities being constructed, the group agreed to break and return after they'd unsuited and dressed for the occasion.

"Hiro! Thank goodness," Cass exclaimed, hugging and squeezing her nephew, "I thought you weren't going to make it!"

"Sorry, Aunt Cass, I got caught up in work! You know how it is—once you start something—"

"—you have to finish it. I know, I know! But it's so good to have you back, sweetie!" Cass squeezed him again before letting him go. "Now! Go take a shower and I'll get your Yukata sorted. Chop-chop, mister! The fireworks don't wait for anyone!" Hiro smiled at his Aunt's insistence before he ran upstairs to do as he was told.

One glance at his brother's lonely bed, however, reminded him how empty the celebration was going to be.

He didn't look away. The dampening sunlight hit the gray sheets, and a part of Hiro recalled how the light washed over his brother's back as he read manga and graphic novels while mocking the younger for not coming up with an idea for the SFIT showcase.

 _The showcase._ He recalled the night. A sickening weight settled into his stomach, and clung to his insides. Despair was a feeling Hiro had come to know and, in an disconcerting way, had come to accept. He wouldn't say he was as dejected as he was last year when the incident occurred; however, with overcoming the loss of his brother, he recognised a piece of him would be missing, and his whole would be slightly changed forever.

"Hiro?" Baymax cooed, making Hiro jump. The young inventor had practically forgotten about the big marshmallow. "Your amygdala is showing signs of negative activity."

"Huh? Oh, uh…it's nothing. Just wish Tadashi could be here for the festival, y'know?" He smiled, prompting the robot to tilt its head. "Tadashi loved the fireworks."

"Fireworks are not people. How could—"

"It's just an expression! Jeeze, do I have to program you with a list of popular phrases?" Hiro exclaimed,

exasperated, but thoroughly amused. The awkwardness of the healthcare companion always brought a smile to his face.

"Alright, buddy, let's get you out of that armor and into something more…festive."

A little under an hour later, Cass, Hiro, and even Baymax, were dressed up in Yukata and heading out to meet with the super friends and, with all pleasantries aside, the group happily indulged in the several street vendors on their way to the best viewing area in Sanfransokyo.

"How you holding up, bud?" Wasabi asked as he fell back a bit to walk with Hiro at the rear of the group. The older student had basically taken over the role of big brother in Hiro's life, and while the latter was grateful for it, it still wasn't quite the same. Of course, he'd never tell Wasabi, or anyone else.

"I'm fine, just…it's kinda weird without him," Hiro replied, smiling apologetically as he guiltily brought up his brother.

"I hear ya—Tadashi always mentioned how much he loved the fireworks this time of the year. He always spent it with you and your aunt, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, he did." Hiro looked down. "Aunt Cass wanted me to wear his Yukata, but…"

"No need to explain—I got you." The youngest smiled up at Wasabi in appreciation for his understanding.

"Hey, make sure your marshmallow keeps up," Go-go called, gesturing to Baymax who was, apparently, staring into the void of the ocean. Hiro sighed, hoping the bot wasn't broken in some way.

"Baymax," He hollered, slightly annoyed, as he ran up to his inflatable friend, "come on, you're straggling!"

"I have detected signs of life."

"What?"

Baymax pointed to the shadowed cluster in the middle of the water. "There."

Hiro narrowed his eyes at the shadowy image until the answer clicked in his head.

"Baymax, that's just the guys setting up the fireworks in the channel. Now come on—we're gonna miss the show if we don't hurry up!"

"Tadashi."

"Yeah, I know, Tadashi loved the fireworks. Now come on, move it already!" With the mystery of the night solved, Hiro dragged Baymax up the paved hill and regrouped with the others before settling down on a row of rocks overlooking the ocean.

"Shoot! It's too dark to take a group selfie!" Honey exclaimed with a small pout.

"Maybe the fireworks'll be bright enough," Go-go said with a shrug, idly popping a piece of gum into her mouth. "Could be a nice kinda-natural filter."

Hiro smiled as the girls talked about the best way to get a good selfie, and laughed when the guys even joined in to give their opinions. He turned to his attention to the sky and, as if on cue, the first colourful explosion lit up the empty blackness.

Choruses of voiced amazement swept throughout the venue as people watched the fire flowers bloom in the air with startling _cracks._ Hiro remembered being scared of the loud noises when he was little, and had always covered his eyes as if it'd protect him from the noises. It took a solid ten minutes of gentle reassurance from his brother for Hiro to look up at the sky for the first time and appreciate the show.

 _It's been a long time…I wish you could see this, big bro…_

"Tadashi is here," Baymax declared monotonously, disrupting Hiro's thoughts.

"Yeah, it seriously feels like he's with us, huh buddy?" The youngest Hamada laughed and leaned against his plush companion. "Maybe his spirit is hanging out with us, or whatever."

"I cannot scan ghosts."

"Yeah, I know, Baymax. I'm just saying that—"

"Tadashi is here."

"Ugh, you must be broken or something…when we get home, I'll fix you up and—" a scream in the distance cut through the air,

And the world suddenly exploded.

A flash of light flickered before the entire sky erupted into violent flames and blasts. Hiro froze, watching the horizon in horror; memories of the fire at the school stabbed him, sending him back in time as brilliant, deadly explosions burst toward him in a dancing, inescapable flurry. A giant burning object rushed toward him, and before anyone could react, it crashed into him, sending them toppling and turning in a surprisingly…fireless heap of limbs and—wait, limbs? Hiro gasped in shock and scrambled away as the idea of being hit with a scorched corpse invaded his thoughts.

He stared. The heap of glowing lines and charcoal-y material didn't shift, and Hiro thought for a moment he'd been mistaken in what he thought had happened; however, his initial thoughts were brought evidence as the figure burst into flames and seemingly rolled onto its back. It rubbed the back of its head as it sat up. It looked around for a moment before locking onto Hiro.

"U-Uh," the youngest stammered out, hardly registering the calls and cries of panic coming from his friends and aunt behind him. Every fibre of his being told him to be scared: scared because everyone else was in frenzied panic, scared because no one knew what was happening, scared because there was a stranger—currently on fire—sat in front of him, and watching him. This man was probably the cause of all of this, and yet…

Hiro wasn't scared.

He couldn't have explained it if he'd tried, but the person seemed to radiate a sort of benevolence and lacked hostility; maybe it was the gentle flicker of fiery veins that ran across the suit, maybe it was the cracked, dove-white yokai mask hiding the man's identity, or maybe it was the sliver of a wide, dark honey-brown eye that stared back at him from behind the chipping porcelain of the mask.

"Who…" The inventor started, but couldn't finish. What was he about to ask him? Who he was? As if he'd know someone who could light on _fire!_ That sort of thing only existed in Fred's comic books!

"LOOK OUT!" The man's raspy voice cried before lunging to Hiro and grabbing him before shooting out of the heap of blazing fireworks' path. The fireball crashed into the ground where they were, and Hiro panted in shock as he watched over the man's shoulder as the grass lit ablaze.

Hiro looked up at the man to thank him, but froze. His mask was off.

"Are you alright?"

He couldn't speak.

Warm brown eyes lit up in recognition. "Do I know you?"

 _How is this possible?_

"Hey, say something—answer me!"

 _But…the fire!_

Hiro's vision started fading. The concerned face in front of him warped and seemed to become a distant, intangible mirage Hiro couldn't sort out in his head. He felt like he was falling. He squeezed his eyes closed, and, once he opened them, the fire was gone.

"What?!" Hiro cried as he sat up, looking around vigorously.

"Hiro! You're okay!" Cass cried, hugging her nephew and squeezing him. The young Hamada looked around as his aunt held him, and he saw police, firemen and ambulances scattered all around the event. What had happened?

"Little dude, you had us, like, shook! What the hell happened?" Fred asked, a concerned frown on his face.

"Yeah, you were out cold when we found you. We all saw something hit you earlier," Go-go mentioned, crossing her arms.

"I _saw_ you get hit with a big fireball!" Wasabi cried hysterically, only quieting down when Honey patted his shoulder. "So _how_ are you not burnt to a crisp?!"

Hiro thought briefly, but thoroughly. "I-I don't know. I just remember getting hit, and then—" He stopped dead in his tracks as his mind clicked upon seeing the discarded, broken mask laying on the ground. Hastily, he scrambled toward it and picked it up, ignoring the concerned and surprised words coming from the group.

Dark eyes, black hair, a familiar face. Scars. He remembered a plethora of scars covering the side of his face, stretching across his nose. That familiar face, familiar jawline, nose, lips, eyebrows—everything!

"Hiro?" Honey questioned softly as the teen entered despair mode. "Are you okay?"

"It was him…" He whispered softly, more to himself than anyone else around him.

"It was who, hon?" Cass questioned, watching as some paramedics approached them after they'd spotted the group fretting over the boy.

"Hiro, your amygdala is showing signs of acute activity, and you have sustained slight epidermal burning." Baymax chipped in. "Immediate medical attention is suggested."

"It was _him_ , Baymax." The robot tilted its head as Hiro got up. He looked down at the mask before back up at the white bot.

"Tadashi's alive."


End file.
